The BIG weekend has been and gone all too fast, leaving some of us somewhat shell-shocked.

There has been much positive feedback – it seems as though we got something right. Overtime we hope to provide a gallery of images and a comprehensive list of links to show what “Tracks to the Trenches: 1914 – 2014” presented. In the interim – please see the photo below as some evidence that it really did happen!

Hudswell collecting a light railway supply train at Apedale Road, with Baldwin 778 on the rear.

A BIG thank you to all visitors, volunteers, exhibitors, traders, equipment owners and supporters for helping us stage a truly memorable event. We hope that everyone will take a few moments to consider the work of the light railway and tramway companies during WW1, especially on Remembrance day in November.

Driver Experience Course

Click for details of the "Tracks to the Trenches" guest driver experience course (steam/diesel footplate day).

About the Event

The "Tracks to the Trenches" 2018 event marks the finalé of the Moseley Railway Trust's First World War centenary commemorations - highlighting the tremendous expansion of the British light railways, which were used right up until the Armistice in 1918.

In 2014 and 2016 the Apedale Valley Light Railway hosted major First World War centenary events - marking 100 years since the start of the "War to end all Wars". These highly acclaimed centenary events focused on the often overlooked areas of Transport and Logistics used by all combatants during the conflict. This was the narrow gauge light railways' finest hour.

Using much of the Apedale site that had previously been inaccessible to the public, the site developments completed for the event, are now a legacy to last well beyond the centenary period. More developments are underway - please keep watching this website for news!

The Apedale Valley Light Railway is the narrow gauge public passenger railway that is operated by the volunteer run Moseley Railway Trust charity at its Apedale home near Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, UK.